Home Stretch

08.02.11

Senate Opens Debate on Debt Bill

Jacquelyn Martin / AP Photo

Now that the House has passed the debt-ceiling deal with a 269–161 tally, the Senate has scheduled a vote on the same legislation for noon on Tuesday. Capitol watchers expect the bill to pass easily. In the House, 174 Republicans and 95 Democrats supported the deal, while 66 Republicans and 95 Democrats voted against it. If the bill were to pass the Senate, it would be sent to President Obama later in the day, and the Treasury would immediately gain $400 billion in additional borrowing authority before the midnight deadline on default.